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Domestic Violence Facts

There is so much, that you really should know about domestic violence… besides the fact that it is a serious, widespread social problem in America today.

Here are some other facts:

At least fifty percent of the men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children. Each year, between 2,000 – 5,000 children die each year because of domestic violence. Most victims of domestic violence allow themselves to be beaten, so that they want the abuse to end. They engage in various survival strategies to protect themselves and their children (i.e., calling the police and/or seeking help from family members). Another strategy is silence (i.e. taking a beating to keep the batterer from attacking the children).

As a result, most victims suffer from psychological effects. In other words, post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, because of being constantly abused.

When domestic violence or DV for short, involves children, it can be of two possible reasons. In other words, it is either direct and intentional or indirect and accidental. If it is the first reason, i.e., direct and intentional then, it should be considered as a deliberate and willful act that has been conducted or carried out with the purpose of injuring the child. If it is the second case and it is indirect and accidental, then the damage is because the child lives with family violence. In this case, the youth is not the target of the violence, but must live with the pain and suffering which results from such experiences. This is why in some places, people tend to view the term domestic violence as family violence.

There are over 1,500,000 incidents of domestic violence per year, and that one in every three women has been domestically abused at least once during their life.

At least one-third of American women have reported of being at some point in their lives. Furthermore, over a quarter of American women have complained of domestic violence, and that over thirty percent of Americans say that they are aware of a woman who has been domestically abused in the past year. In addition, 37% of women who sought treatment in emergency rooms for violence-related injuries were domestic related.

Besides, male violence against women does much more damage than female violence against men. Will male victims of abuse ever be fairly represented? Abused men and boys often receive little or no mention when the topic of DV is raised. We must recognize the fact that women often hurt men, too, and that this is just as much an injustice as when the reverse occurs.

However, women are much more likely to be injured than men are. In fact, the women are more likely to report sexual abuse and physical assaults from domestic violence. It is reported that more than three women are murdered by their partners every day.

What is menacing about emotional abuse is that you cannot point to physical injuries that clearly show that someone is hurting you all you have is a deeper and deeper pain that you cannot connect with the abuser and you cannot figure out why. You sometimes wonder why you are not in a position to communicate clearly, because the man constantly misinterprets everything the woman says or puts forward.

However, little do they realize that it is the child who is being affected? This is because the environment at home plays a substantial role in grooming the child s mental structure. Whether he will be a loner, depressed or well-adjusted all depends on the environment at home. Whether he will turn out to be a well-behaved teenaged and responsible adult depends entirely on the foundation being laid as a child. Insensitive parents and violence at home as a child can be seen when he becomes an adult and starts his own family. Then the dysfunctional behavior starts to creep in.

Mentioned below are common traits of a dysfunctional family.

There is a lack of basic trust and security at home.

Rigid and absurd family values.

Lack of feeling, love and belonging.

Regular instances of domestic and sexual abuse and violence.

Specific needs of the child are constantly overlooked.

Total lack of communication and understanding between family members.
Constant disputes over petty issues.
The child’s emotional needs are totally overlooked.
Power play, mind-games, and persistent stress.

Negative approach to solving of problems.

The child’s psychology as a whole is bruised and battered with partisan attitudes of his or her family members. The regular manifestation of such behavior and detrimental relationships become a part of the kid’s future.

It is not surprising that the below traits are common in an affected child’s behavior…

The inability to express their true feelings
Continuous feeling of solitude

Prone to anger, frustration, depression and hatred
Being very hard on themselves
Inability to respond properly and indecisive
Unable to enjoy anything
A constant bitterness towards others
The inability to trust and establish intimate relationships
Drug and alcohol related problems
Poor in academics and school